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COMM 374/3.0 International Business Strategy

The world of business and commerce is moving inexorably towards becoming a global village and there will be winners and losers. What corporations are looking for when they hire is also developing in step and employability means not just getting a job but "having the qualities needed to maintain employment and progress in the workplace”. These qualities include skills and understanding and in this course, whose focus is international business strategy, we will aim to gain understanding of how corporations are adapting to the new world. Is our understanding of generic business strategy scaleable to the international stage and if not, why not? We have become used to MNC's (multi-national corporations) but what of trans-national corporations?

In this course we look at how business strategy can be constructed in a methodical way against the backdrop of today’s international business scenario. We do this by analysing contemporary international company strategies to reveal how they represent applications of theory underpinning business strategy formulation. At the core is how sustainable competitive advantage is achieved, but we also look at the role of organisational culture, national culture and leadership. Another factor is the business model adopted because there are discernible trends in different industry sectors. Finally, there is the international business context. How can western companies profit from the emerging economies? The old colonial model of internationalisation is dead but what is replacing it? From the other direction, how will we deal with inward investment from emerging economies – they too are increasingly spawning corporations with global ambitions.

Typically the cohort of students is small enough to facilitate a supportive class environment for group discussions of complex up to the minute issues. Time in the class room is enriched by a minimum of two field study trips to business organisations. Our mission goes beyond learning outcomes and is driven by the notion that employability is “a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the community and the economy”